Dog in a flat?

neatheyc

Was wondering if anyone lives in a flat and has a dog? I would love to get one, but live in a flat that's on the 2nd floor.

I had a dog when I was with my ex who stayed with me. Now that I am on my own, I would love to get one for the company.

However, if it barks all the time when I am out, I fear the neighbours would complain to the property management company.

Also, I work full time. Although could possibly pop home at lunch times every now and then.

tomtontom

This is a bad idea, both for the dog and your neighbours.

donnac2558

Sorry but popping home at lunch time now and again, just does not cut it.

How will you handle the poor dog crapping and peeing in your flat because you cannot get home to walk it?

neatheyc

Before I had puppy pads, which were hardly ever used as she got used to going out 4 times a day.

So are you saying that every other household that has a dog now, will have someone home all the time?

Caroline_a

I think you'll find that gettingready keeps her German Shepherd in her flat very successfully. She does use a dog walker, so it isn't a cheap option, but where there's a will.... etc etc

ERICS_MUM

I would suggest that dogs are not left alone for more than 2 or 3 hours at a time. They need stimulation or can get naughty and do damage, or get "depressed". On the other hand my cat doesn't care how long I'm out as long as he has food, water and a litter tray ! Oh, and access to my bed, bless him.

sheramber

No, but they will have made arrangements for someone to call during the day and take the dog out for an hour or so.

Have you considered what is involved in having a dog?

Why do you want a dog?

Can you commit to a dog for 1the next 10 or more years?

Make a pro and con list.

You neeed to check if you are allowed to have a dog in your flat.

A puppy cannot be lfet all day as it needs house training and behaviour training, so you will need to get an adult dog.

Can you take time off work to settle the dog in?

You would need to get a dog that was happy to laze about when you are out and not get upset when left alone.

Work out the cost of getting a dog and the cost of routine vet fees such as vaccinations etc

You also need a fund for more expensive treatment or have insurance- another monthly cost.

Can you get up early every morning to walk the dog before you go to work?

You need to walk the dog again after work and last thing at night,

Remember, these walks all need to be done every day, regardless of whether you feel like it or not and regardless of the weather or lack of daylight in winter. No opening the door and letting the dog out into the garden.

What about holidays or days out? You need to make arrangements for the dog.

Your evenings and weekends will not be your own.

You will be the only person responsible for the care of the dog. There will be no other person to share feeding, walking or providing company for the dog.

Many flat dwellers successfully keep dogs but it you need to consider the commitment fully.

Remember a dog is for life not just for Christmas.

McKneff

No no, no,


It is cruel to leave any animal alone for hours on end.


How would you like it, no books, no telly, no one to talk to. etc. etc. etc for the rest of your life......

missbiggles1

ERICS_MUM wrote: »

I would suggest that dogs are not left alone for more than 2 or 3 hours at a time. They need stimulation or can get naughty and do damage, or get "depressed". On the other hand my cat doesn't care how long I'm out as long as he has food, water and a litter tray ! Oh, and access to my bed, bless him.

Nobody would ever have a dog if they followed this advice and the rescue centres would be fuller than they are now.

I had a dog in a flat without a garden (I had the dog before we bought the flat) and we managed quite well with 3 walks a day (before and after work and last thing at night) but it's not an ideal situation to start off dog ownership.

Personally, I don't think I'd do it if it were to be a long term situation but an older rescue dog and a regular dog walker would be the way to go to make it more viable- otherwise not.

rubytuesday

My son lives in a flat (house conversion)without a garden and has a Weimaraner puppy.

He has the Heath near by and the dog has long walks daily.

However he is able to take him to work with him quite often and the puppy has even done his first shoot for Rankin!

He also uses doggy day care occasionally.

The Dogs Trust recommend not leaving dogs alone for more than four hours not two to three.

Oh and he lives with his girlfriend (my son that is - not the puppy!)

krlyr

I work fulltime and own two dogs. It's not something I'd say "No way!" to, obviously, but it does require some thought.

At the most basic level, a dog will generally need at least one toilet break during the day. Some physical and mental stimulation are also a good idea - a bored dog can become a noise nuisance, and/or destructive in the house. The good thing is, nowadays there are plenty of options for workers. Dog walkers, daycare, 'borrow my dog' schemes, helpful neighbours, family, friends, even the option of taking your dog to work is open to some people (I could, if they were better behaved around other dogs!). So being at work all day isn't a deciding factor, but whether you have the funds or inclination to make alternative arrangements is.

Most dogs won't bark in huge amounts. When someone knocks at the door, the post gets delivered, they hear a dog barking down the road, etc. is perfectly normal - and most reasonable neighbours will happily accept the odd bark here and there. A dog that barks repeatedly throughout the day is usually bored, distressed, or both. Separation anxiety (basically a phobia of being alone) is often the cause for excessive barking, it is treatable but can be hard work - I would suggest adopting a dog from a rescue that uses foster homes, so they have a good assessment of how the dog copes being left home alone for a period of time.

The physical limitations of a flat are something to consider too. That, plus your work, would rule out a puppy IMO. Trying to get a puppy down from the 2nd floor to pee is going to be a near impossible task, and personally I don't rate toilet training with the use of puppy pads (teaches the dog to pee indoors, albeit on a pad). Plus you need to be offering at least hourly pee breaks initially, which will be impossible if you're at work.
So I'd go for a slightly older dog. However, too old, and you then have joint/mobility issues to consider. Same thing in younger, bigger dogs too. If you had a Greyhound suffering lameness, are you willing and able to carry it up and down stairs if it was on restricted exercise? Or what if the dog just didn't like stairs? Even if you were willing, not every dog likes to be picked up either - again, a dog that's been assessed in a foster home is a bit more of a known quantity.

Other issues to consider are qualities of the breed - a Border Collie in a flat, for example, may be an issue - they're such a 'go-go-go' breed. Not to say it can't be done - I know someone with 4 Collies in a static caravan! - but you'll need to provide a lot of mental and physical stimulation in the form of walks, activities, etc. A guarding breed like a GSD could present issues - if they start to guard the hallways of the flat, you may end up scaring a neighbour (and the changes to the DDA laws recently put you at more risk of being reported should your dog worry a neighbour on private property). Greyhounds can actually be quite well suited to a flat situation, aside from the physical logistics. They're sprinters, built for speed not stamina. A couple of walks being allowed to burn off that energy, and they're usually good for a long snooze on the sofa. Or a smaller dog that can be given at least some form of exercise within the flat, and that would be more worn out by a 20 minute walk around the block than a bigger dog.

I wouldn't rule it out completely, but I'd say do your research. Join some dog forums or groups on Facebook, find local rescues that you can build up a rapport with (some can be strict at rehoming to fulltime workers), find local dogwalkers or daycare facilities and look into the costs of those. If any of that seems like too much effort, then forego the dog and invest in something else to keep you amused - a new smartphone or something! A dog is a long commitment, financially, timewise and effort wise. If you can't be bothered with research, then don't bother with a dog!